Artillerymen of the 47th Artillery Brigade operate the Ukrainian 2P22 Bohdana-B towed howitzer and, in an interview with ArmyTV, explained why the towed version can be preferable to a self-propelled system. They also outlined which improvements they would like to see in the Bohdana-B.
"The howitzer is quite good and accurate. There are some issues, of course, but it is pleasant to work with," says howitzer commander Ihor. He also emphasizes that the Bohdana-B has proven to be quieter than its counterparts, particularly when compared with the Giatsint-B.
Read more: Ukrainian Artillerymen Reveal Bohdana-B Howitzer Characteristics and Compare with American M777
"Yes, it operates much more quietly. The muzzle brake and compensator are completely different in design, which is why the gun produces less noise," he explains.
According to another howitzer commander, Andrii, among all currently available options he would choose the Bohdana. He highlights the system's simplicity and accuracy. Importantly, he is referring specifically to the towed version rather than the self-propelled howitzer, as the latter is significantly harder to conceal from the enemy.
"The self-propelled howitzer is bulky and very difficult to camouflage. I care about my people not having to work under excessively hard conditions. There is also a lot of work involved with this howitzer, but it is still much smaller," he notes.
At the same time, the servicemen point out several areas for further improvement of the Bohdana towed howitzer. First, they would like to see the integration of an automatic rammer. Second, they suggest developing an option that would allow the gun to be towed into a trench by the barrel for greater convenience.
It should be recalled that the Bohdana-B towed howitzer uses a carriage derived from the Soviet Giatsint-B. At the same time, there have previously been reports about plans to introduce a carriage of Ukrainian manufacture.
Earlier, Defense Express reported that the Ukrainian Bohdana-B and Marta could potentially become the main towed howitzers in the EU, although this scenario includes an important caveat.
Read more: Ukraine's Defense Industry Produces Hundreds of 155mm Bohdana, Bohdana-BG Howitzers and Keeps Producing
